South American forward Billy Arce says deal to join Brighton is ‘90%’ advanced

Brighton & Hove Albion are closing in on the signing of Billy Arce.

Arce is a 20 year old Ecuadorian forward who currently plays for Independiente del Valle in his home country, but, if claims are correct, it’s unlikely he’ll be there for much longer.

Diario Expreso, a newspaper in Ecuador, reports the youngster is counting down the hours before he moves to European football, and they quote him as saying: “I did not imagine that in such a short time I would be able to play in Europe.”

The newspaper reports Arce told them his move to Brighton is ‘90% advanced’, and he’s currently getting himself mentally ready for the transfer.

It’s also claimed Arce explained his agent has negotiated a four year contract with Brighton, but he won’t play there for the first season at least.

There’s a loan move to Albacete already arranged and the footballer’s parents will join him once he has a house in the Spanish city.

Albacete, a La Liga 2 club, is where Andres Iniesta started his youth career, and that’s appealing to the Independiente player.

Another Ecuador media outlet, Estadio, reports that whilst Arce hasn’t signed for Brighton yet, the negotiations are advanced. They also explain the youngster is one of the most promising talents in the country.